Mobile app development for iOS and Android
We build native mobile apps from the same Rust code as the desktop version. Two or three separate teams do not write the same thing, and a new feature reaches every platform at once.
One codebase for iOS, Android and desktop
The usual route is to write the iOS, Android and desktop versions separately. That is three times the work, and the versions inevitably drift apart. We write both the interface and the logic in Rust, in one codebase, and compile the app for every platform from it.
That is how our own chat app, ChatLord, is built: the same code runs on iPhone, Android, Windows and macOS.
What a good mobile app does
- push notifications on iOS and Android, even when the app is not open,
- real-time messages, status updates and voice calls,
- photo and file upload, with phone photos correctly oriented,
- comfortable use on tablets, with mouse and keyboard too,
- secure sign-in over an encrypted connection to the server.
Native app or web app?
You do not always need a native app. If people use it rarely, or it needs no deeper phone features, an installable web app can be enough – and cheaper. We tell you in the consultation. If a native app is the answer, it uses the same server as the web version.
References
Frequently asked questions
Can it be published on the App Store and Google Play?
Yes. The store accounts are best registered in the client's name, so the app stays yours. We prepare the builds and materials the submission needs.
Does it work on tablets?
Yes. It works on iPad and Android tablets, with mouse and keyboard if the user prefers.
What if we need a desktop version later?
Since it is built from the same code, the desktop version is not a new project but another build target. The platform-specific parts – notifications, installer – need to be added.
Who runs the server behind the app?
We can, or we hand it over to your team. The server is written in Rust as well and runs on few resources.